The Evolution and Progression of Members Systems

We all have been there done that or just starting to get our feet wet. Some have been doing the hobby for many many years, prior to computers, digital cameras and music. Lets see your past equipment and setup, how you'v grown or what got you to where you are today. I only started using computers in 2010 so my digital photos only go back that far. Not to mention prior to being online there was never a need to take photos of stereos I have had and I didn't wast film on gear. In this cases we can describe what we where doing.

I also know for me around the very late 80s early 90s home stereos were not that big of a deal in my house. Hell we have VCRs, CD walkman's now, sure I still had a TT and receiver and even been evicted over music in apartments.

Anyway lets see where you'v been and how you got here to present day. As well as what your main focus in the audio hobby is today.

A bed room at my last home

Sansui Gear and the first pair of SP-3500 I got for the quad setup. QRX-7500, SD-5050 Marantz 6300 TT

I started off with a very meager setup. I had a Fisher RS-1050 and a Fisher RS-1060. The RS-1050 had a broken amp section, and the RS-1060 had a broken preamp section. I didn't have the money to get them fixed, so I used the RS-1050 as a preamp and used the RS-1060 as a power amp. Also pictured are the Cerwin-Vega D-9 speakers that I had at the time (two pairs stacked). I had a lot of fun times with those D-9 speakers, but in the end I sold them to my buddy. It's amazing that the RS-1060 didn't catch on fire and/or explode.

Back in 2002 my uncle gave me his JBL L150 speakers. He had bought them in Germany in the early 80's when he was in the US Air Force and stationed there, and then brought them back with him. I powered them for a year or two with my RS-1050/RS-1060 combo before I convinced him to give me his Yamaha M-2 amplifier also, which he had also acquired in the same fashion. I used a tube-based headphone amplifier (that also has preamp outputs) as a basic preamp.

Not long afterward, I was able to find a pair of JBL L100T speakers on Craigslist to compliment my L150 speakers. During parties, etc, I powered both just using my Yamaha M-2 but that was clearly testing it's limits. I was able to find a Yamaha P2201 amplifier in good condition, and I bought it to compliment my M-2, so that each pair of speakers could have it's own amp.

Next step for me was when I got my Yamaha C-80 preamp, which allowed me to retire the basic headphone amp/preamp that I was using before. The C-80 also has inverted pre-outs, which allows amps to be bridged even if the amp doesn't have that capability on it's own. After that, I found another P2201 amplifier and bridged the pair so that I could give my L100T speakers a bit more power.

After that, I was able to find a pair of JBL 4412 Studio Monitors on Craigslist. I had them connected to my M-2 for a while, before I found a Yamaha P2200 (same as P2201 but with meters also) on Craigslist so I could give them their own amp also.

Since then I have got yet another P2201, which I paired up with the P2200 as a 2nd bridged pair. Now I can give my L150 speakers extra power also, compared to what they were getting from the M-2. I also picked up a pair of JBL L5 speakers for fun. I'm currently in the middle of doing a major reorganization and stuff is mostly disassembled on the floor at the moment, so no pics of the L5s or my 5th amp setup yet unfortunately.

I like my music to be very emotionally engaging. I'm not a purist and I'm not afraid to use EQ, even on the low-end, to get the sound that I want. I often switch between my speaker pairs, or sometimes run multiple pairs simultaneously depending on my goals at the time and what I'm listening to. I like to have the ability to listen very loud when I want to, where every beat of the drum feels like someone just punched you in the chest, and low-end bass that might make you wonder if a train is approaching. I almost stuck with my two pairs of Cerwin-Vega D-9s, but despite how amazing they were, the JBLs get me even closer to my goals; especially with abundant amplifier power

I guess my first serious stereo was my Sansui AU-G99X which I have since had restored, mated to those maligned Infinity SM-152's. Those Infinity's, funny enough, are sold, and leave my house tmw, after 25 great years.

When I discovered how good the older stuff was, say, 2001 or so, I had a pair of curb-find D-5 Cerwin Vegas. This lead to a stack of those with some AT-12's, on the Sansui, which actually sounded okay.

Then onto a pair of Marantz Imperial 6's, which REALLY sounded good, then some Boston Acoustic A60's.......and the escalating arms race was on!

I'll just throw some pics in the mix. Too much stuff to discuss, and I'm sorta in-between my "favorite" setup right now.

I guess my first serious stereo was my Sansui AU-G99X which I have since had restored, mated to those maligned Infinity SM-152's. Those Infinity's, funny enough, are sold, and leave my house tmw, after 25 great years.

When I discovered how good the older stuff was, say, 2001 or so, I had a pair of curb-find D-5 Cerwin Vegas. This lead to a stack of those with some AT-12's, on the Sansui, which actually sounded okay.

Then onto a pair of Marantz Imperial 6's, which REALLY sounded good, then some Boston Acoustic A60's.......and the escalating arms race was on!

I'll just throw some pics in the mix. Too much stuff to discuss, and I'm sorta in-between my "favorite" setup right now.

Just Dave, those are the NS 690 III's. I received a battered pair from a still-unknown benefactor (appeared on my porch in terrible shape) and I bought this pair to replace the ugly ones, which I sold to another AK'er, and he's currently enjoying immensely.

Well started doing things this way, an early AK thing at my house in Okemos, MI (2002-2006)

Who can remember the Almarro amp test from AK? I do - what I tested the amp with......

To the upstairs (oh man an old H-K 795i receiver).

Onto Boston (2006-20010). What a terrible room...

This is when I got these bad boys - 80 lbs of Bookshelf speaker (Monitor Audio MA3 Series 2). The room really sucked but we did the best we could do. Onto Cleveland (2010-2012). This is the family room.